Description

The road markings at the intersection of 27TH AVE SE and EAST RIVER PKWY and FRANKLIN AVE SE are quite faded and so need repainting. This might be a good time to change the traffic directions to improve the flow of cars and pedestrians at that intersection. When I pass through each weekday at about 5 pm, traveling south on EAST RIVER PKWY I notice that almost all of the traffic either turns right on to the Franklin bridge or goes straight south along the East River Parkway. Very few cars turn left. Pedestrians crossing Franklin are blocking cars making a right turn, which also stops cars going straight. This backs up traffic for quite some distance, sometimes all the way to the U of M campus. People are getting impatient at seeing a green light and having to wait and are moving into the left turn lane to pass the cars turning right. It would greatly improve traffic flow if the right lane were returned to its former “Right turn only” and the left lane were returned to going straight and making a left. That would break up the major flow of cars into two lanes. Having a dedicated left turn lane makes no sense at this intersection because the lights are set to stop oncoming traffic from any direction.